BISHKEK (TCA) — Kyrgyzstan’s former State Secretary Dastan Sarygulov has been charged with an attempt to seize power in the country, said the press office of the State Committee for National Security.
On March 28 Sarygulov faced charges on Articles “Preparation for crime” and “Preparation for a violent seizure of power” of the Criminal Code of Kyrgyzstan.
A district court in Bishkek has placed Sarygulov under house arrest.
Sarygulov, 69, served as Kyrgyzstan’s State Secretary (responsible for the country’s ideology) under President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, who ruled in 2005-2010.
Last week three other politicians were detained for an attempt to seize power in Kyrgyzstan: former Governor of the Jalal-Abad province Bektur Asanov, leader of the Chyndyk party Kubanychbek Kadyrov, and opposition activist Ernest Karybekov. By a court decision they were taken into custody for two months.
Two audio recordings circulated on the Internet on March 21 and 22 that carried voices similar to those of the above opposition politicians discussing ways to seize power in Kyrgyzstan.
The State Committee for National Security later said that forensic studies revealed that the audio recordings had been found “authentic”.
One of the politicians involved, Bektur Asanov, confirmed to RFE/RL that such a discussion had taken place, but said the talks touched upon legal ways to hand over power to another government.
Asanov called the audio recordings’ appearance on the Internet as “an attempt to blackmail the opposition.”
The opposition planned but later canceled an antigovernment protest scheduled for March 24 in the southern city of Osh.
